Archive for the ‘arts & crafts’ Category

It’s almost Valentine’s day, and this year Tigers to Lilies is preparing something extra special! Wildflower bouquets, valentine postcards, ceramic vases, herbal donuts and a special curated collection of books by Claire from Bookstand! Wish I was celebrating Valentine’s day in LA this year!
If you are in LA and want to give something extra special check out what Lili has in the works at various locations around LA, or stop by En Soie if you’re in Silverlake to meet her in person, you can even order a special bouquet just for you ahead of time and have it delivered.

I am also so happy to share these beautiful photos of my dear friend Lili (of Tigers to Lilies) who was featured on Refinery 29 as one of the 3 chicest florists in LA.Portraits of Lili shot by Lani Trock. all other photos by Lili Cuzor.

Also check out Lili’s new tumblr site featuring some of her photography and floral creations combined.

If you haven’t already been to visit the amazing shops that are part of ARTS RE STORE LA in Westwood, go check them out before they’re gone!
The UCLA Hammer museum received a $100,000 grant to create Arts ReSTORE LA: Westwood, a project that is currently taking over multiple empty storefronts in Westwood and filling them with pop-up shops currated by LA artisans.
Featuring an incredible line up of people who make up an amazing community of creators in LA right now, there are multiple shops full of so many good things to buy and see, from Iko Iko, Dosa, Weltenbuerger & Ermie, Bookstand, Heather Levine, and so many more! There are even concerts and workshops happening here throughout the month so take advantage of this rare moment to participate in a really amazing project, which will hopefully encourage more things like this to happen throughout the city. Up until November 24th.

Fritz Haeg is an artist I came across at the LA Art Book Fair this year. He does the most incredible experience installations. I was particularly inspired by his recent Domestic Integrities installation at MOMA where participants could bring in old clothing or textiles and weave them into a giant communal rug.
His installations which seem to often feature some food, and a communal activity are slightly reminiscent of Mark Borthwick performances I’ve seen, in that they both provide an experience, and a particular atmosphere, along with calming nourishment. I love what the premise of the installation is all about:MoMA Studio: Common Senses is a multisensory environment at the intersection of education, design, and art that aims to foster our evolving relationships with nature, technology, and our everyday surroundings through community interactions and creative play. A series of drop-in activities, workshops, and ongoing projects for audiences of all ages integrates components such as light, nature, food, textiles, games, and technology.
The rug continues to grow and evolve with new experiences as it travels to become part of new installations in places around the globe.
See more on Domestic Integrities here.

I recently came across the beautifully crafted work of Line Sander Johansen via instagram. I absolutely love her line, Line Sander.

For her ss/13 collection titled Replica, she used only “remedies in the home, such as kale, tea, coffee and old inc pens. Just things lying around” as dyes. I love the simplicity of her inspiration books, and the description of the basis of the collection reminds me of the little things I love about traveling
“scraps of material, leftovers, scents and places. A traveler’s belongings. The poesy within a crumbled collar, sleeve or dress. The allure of a woman’s journey. The scraps, the sticks, the stones, – things a traveler carries, blissfully reminding her of the places she visited.”

On my last day in LA, Claire, Lili, Lauren and I had a craft day together, where we were also joined by the wonderful Leigh of Synonym Journal. All I can say is that it was such a nice day and exactly what I needed. These girls are the best and I feel so lucky to know them.

We had a beautiful lunch in Claire’s backyard, and then took inspiration from a book Claire picked up in Paris and did some printmaking with fruits, vegetables, seeds, leaves and more. I left LA that day so inspired but with a heavy heart having to leave behind this beautiful collective of dear friends.

This weekend come check out the first ever LA Art Book Fair at MOCA’s Geffen Contemporary. Bookstand will have a very special stand set up along with many others who I’m excited to see like Iko Iko, Ooga Booga, Family Books, Nieves and many more! The first image is from the BOOK STAND booklet: the southwest, by L.A.-based photographer Ye Rin Mok.

I’ll also be selling some of my CM textiles at Bookstand, in amazing company alongside prints by Lauren Spencer King (pictured above), and ikebana arrangements by Tigers to Lilies come check it out. Starting tonight thru Sunday.

This weekend is the We Love Green festival in/just outside of Paris. I am really happy to be participating thanks to Rosemarie whose Ringo Atelier is hosting workshops for kids there this weekend. I’m in good company too, The House that Jack Built, and many more talented friends will be doing workshops as well. Mine will be a Richard Tuttle inspired eco-friendly mobiles free-for-all craft experience. Sign up a little friend of yours here, space is super limited. I’m very excited to see Charlotte Gainsbourg, Beirut and Herman Dune play! Come check it out!

If you’re in LA you can’t miss this! My dear friend Lili is organizing several amazing craft nights at Shelter Half in LA starting this week. Go and check them out and sign up here! I wish I could be at all of them! They are all hosted by incredibly talented ladies with amazing skills. Krissy of Color Plantae is a natural dye master, and she collaborates with Thvm often. Lili of Tigers to Lilies is a photographer and floral artist wizard who I’ve written about many times. Brit Browne I’ve yet to meet but she taught this workshop that looked like such an incredibly nice time at Beatrice’s place, and is an indigo expert. Beautiful illustration above by Lauren of Spencer Studio.

The artists in residence at the Textile Arts Center in New York are SO LUCKY to have had a special walk through visit with Sheila Hicks at her exhibition up at Sikkema Jenkins. Her work is incredibly beautiful and to get to hear the stories behind it would be so amazing.

While in Tokyo I picked up the latest special issue of Casa Brutus which focuses on California creators and a lot of the amazing people and things happening there right now. Also while I was there, a California Mart pop up shop had just opened, featuring a lot of the same people who are in the magazine, Beatrice Valenzuela, Altadena Works, Heath Ceramics..
Very excited that this magazine features friends and is connected to an exhibition which has sent several friends out to Tokyo recently. The exihibition DREAMERS is curated by Serena Mitnik-Miller and is at Ron Herman Sendagaya. If you’re in Tokyo go check it out, and if not go out and find a copy of this magazine! So much more good stuff inside, South Willard, General Store, OK, Dosa, Altadena Works, Aya Muto, Heath Ceramics, the Ace Hotel and much more. It makes me so happy to see where I’m from being celebrated and having a creative community come together. I miss California!

The House that Jack Built hosted the best holiday party at Candelaria last week. They turned the place into a mini forest filled with some of the biggest christmas trees in Paris, with a special holiday cocktail menu of egg nog and other holiday creations, mini chocolate caramel christmas trees, snowflake cookies and gingerbread house cakes,(made by some of the best pastry chefs in town) and as usual they looked AMAZING! The theme of the evening was a “Luminescent Confetti-ed Splendor” I loved their hair and headpieces! Plus I was happy to see Julie from Confetti System stop by while in town, and finally see her garland in the space in person, on the perfect night too. These guys have made yet another great video of the event so you can see for yourself.

My very dearest and super talented friend in LA Lili has some amazing neighbors who she got together with recently to create and style a beautiful Harvest Moon celebration. I wish I could have been there it looks like it was so much fun!! Love the attention to every beautiful detail.
Take a look at the enchanting film, it is super beautiful and I love the song Lili picked for it, couldn’t be more perfect. Can’t believe she filmed this on her iphone!
Harvest Moon was created by Lili Cuzor, Lauren Spencer King and Kelly Cuadra and was photographed by Lili Cuzor and Siena Perez del Campo. Short film by Lili Cuzor. Beautiful Harvest Moon card by Spencer Studio.
See more on Lili’s and Lauren’s blogs. Can’t wait to see what these talented ladies do next.

Also! There are so many amazing sales happening in parts of the world where I wish I could be this weekend. In LA, Beatrice is organizing a sale with her shoes and works by Hadley Holiday, among many other talented people. In NY there are several sales to look forward to. Wish I could be there to check them out!

…..zzzzz..busy catching up on sleep and making cranes, yes, I make them in my sleep now too..
here’s a little photo series I started to work on last year. I know too small to see the steps, will post a bigger one later!
off to bed now.
back tomorrow for realzzz..!